Roy's Little Brother Edward
by she-wolf vixen
Summary: Roy and Ed suddenly remember their past when Roy was 19 and Ed 4. The wierd thing is...Ed adored Roy and made him promise to be his big brother. What happens when the two actually remember that promise?
1. Introduction

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I babysit these three kids down the block. The eldest girl is always taking offense easily when I call her small, the younger girl is quiet and polite, and the little boy thinks he'll marry every girl in the world with his good looks. All I could think of right then and there was: Ed...Alphonse...Roy... Just goes to show I watch/read too much FMA.

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A FullMetal Alchemist fanfic: Lost Memories: Prologue

_"Roy-san! Roy-san!"_

_19-year-old Roy Mustang turned to watch the tiny golden-haired boy run unsteadily towards him. He smiled. "Ready to go Ed?"_

_The little boy brushed his golden bangs out of his eyes and jumped onto Roy's back. "Piggy-back ride!"_

_"If your younger brother catches you he'll make fun of you..." Roy warned teasingly._

_"Al's went with mom to get more food, he won't see me..." Ed pouted._

_Roy hoisted the light-weight boy on his back and started down the dirt path road leading to the nearby river. "Where's your girlfriend?"_

_Tiny hands pounded on his shoulders. "She's not my girlfriend!"_

_Roy laughed. "How old are you now, kid?"_

_Ed counted on his fingers. "One...Two...Three...FOUR!"_

_"Four? You look like two to me..." _

_The little boy kicked his feet and hit Roy's shoulders some more. "Don't call me small! I'll rip your hair out and feed it to the fishies!"_

_Roy laughed again. Bouncing Ed higher on his back, he broke into a run towards the distant low sun. The child on his back whooped and clung on to Roy's firm arms, digging his ankles into Roy's sides like a rider spurring on his horse. Roy complied and began to gallop, making whinnying noises as he ran. It continued like that until Roy reached the river bank where he gently lowered the excited Ed onto the hillside._

_Ed jogged back and forth along the river, poking at the surface-wandering fish every once and a while to emphasize that he was taller than them all. After a while, he flopped down on a grinning Roy and curled up in his lap. _

_"Nii-san..." Ed mumbled laying his head against Roy's chest._

_"Nii-san?" Roy blinked in surprise._

_"Yep." Ed smiled with his eyes closed. "You're big brother..."_

_Roy smiled fondly at the little boy in his lap, lifted the boy's golden bangs, and leaned down to kiss his forehead..._

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Ed woke up screaming.

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**Well, enjoy another fun and exciting FMA story. I really love writing the Young Roy and kid Ed parts! I start laughing while I type so it sounds like: _Haha type type haha type type type..._**

**Reviews are great, they make me feel good.**

**Chapter One is coming soon because it's summer and I can write! I promise they'll start getting longer after this!**

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	2. Chapter 1

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**PLEASE READ PARAGRAPH BELOW, IT'S IMPORTANT...**

**Saturday, July 19 is my Full Metal Alchemist Anniversary. It's so stupid but I get all nostalgic about it. I guess it all started with tea...**

**Caffeine does things to me like forcing me to be awake for an entire night. (I can't drink that stuff, it's dangerous to my health!) In any case, about a year ago I sat down completely bored and unable to sleep. I flopped down on the couch and turned on the television. What I didn't realize was that on that day, I would press one button and suddenly be thrown into a world of laughter, hurt, and alchemy. Episode three of FMA was being replayed that night and I sat enthralled by the story, motionless in my spot on the couch. When it was over, and Kesenai Tsumi played behind the rolling credits, I sat back, my mouth open. What was this feeling? This tightness in my chest that caused my heart to race. As the ending animation finished, I pushed the power button off. That was just the end of the beginning.**

**Who can forget the absolute rush, the rising excitement before the next episode. I came to love every face on the screen, from joy to tears to purpose to evil desire. I gripped the faithful couch in exhilaration at every triumph of Edward and Alphonse and let my feelings overflow in tears at the pain-ridden cries of my beloved characters. The energy pumping in my blood at "Ready Steady Go" spurred on my bliss. I followed the Elric brothers not just as a kid's cartoon but as a journey that we took together. I realized, cartoons aren't childish. If a simple cartoon series could cause my body to emit so much emotion, then it really isn't childish at all. I realized that these shows were another person's feelings, being conveyed towards me and making me feel what they intended me to feel.**

**I started drawing anime as a young child but never improved much until July 19, 2007. After my first taste of FullMetal Alchemist, my own manga exploded into life. My parents always saw it as myself hunched over a piece of paper but they had no idea what was coursing through my body. Emotions poured forth, battles raged, and plot lines flashed through my mind. There I was, the heroine of an epic tale, alongside my comrades. My writing also burst out and you can check my profile and see the majority of my (better)writing was first published during the 2007 year. **

**I will be ever grateful to Full Metal Alchemist for the gift it has given me, the gift of truly understanding what writing and drawing was about. It's about conveying a message. Giving feeling to your art and stories so the viewer can cry and laugh along. My purpose with my art became to make others realize exactly what it is all about and FMA was the spark of all of it. Thank you FullMetal Alchemist and thanks to the readers who support me and read this all the way through. (Shoot, I'm really crying now...)**

**PLEASE ENJOY THIS STORY WRITTEN TO CELEBRATE MY FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST ANNIVERSARY...**

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_"The flame-like rays of sunset shine upon your back _

_and my hands grow cold when I cannot reach you"_

_-Returnable Memories_

Presenting, a FullMetal Alchemist Fanfic; Returnable Memories; Chapter One

Screaming, Ed thrashed around entangled in his blanket until he fell off his mattress and crashed to the floor. Al, awake as always, rushed to his brother's side and helped him up.

"Nii-san?! What happened?! Bad dream?"

Ed fell over again in exasperation.

"N-no!" Ed blushed, "It was nothing..."

"Don't lie to me Ed," Al scolded as he helped his brother back onto Ed's bed, "I can tell when you're lying!"

"Never mind..." Ed sighed irritably. Ed felt slightly guilty as the armor made a hurt face. Ed had never been one to keep many secrets from his brother, especially after their failed human transmutation. Ed usually shared these type of petty things with his younger brother. Al had every right to feel wounded.

"Aw, it was just some dumb dream about that stupid Colonel..." Ed gave in.

Al lifted his head slightly, "Colonel? You mean Colonel Mustang?"

Ed remained quiet and Al assumed he was too embarrassed to admit the name. However, Ed was only thinking to himself. What had he been doing last night? His mind returned to him and he recalled falling asleep in Central's library after some extensive research. He vaguely remembered someone carrying him via piggy-back to an overnight room within Central Command. It couldn't have been Al though. Al was always cool and hard-feeling and he had felt a warm body against his own last night. Ed brushed his forehead and blushed.

Al was just about to remind his brother to brush his teeth when they were interrupted by a knock on the door. Both Ed and Al started at the noise.

"Um...come in..." Ed called.

As the door opened, a black and white puppy raced through the small opening and forced the tiny alchemist to the floor and began to thoroughly clean his face.

Riza quickly followed her dog into the room and emitted a sharp command. "Black Hayate! Down!"

The joyful canine skittered off Edward's face and barreled toward his mistress. On the way, he tripped and fell on his nose, but hopped up again with his permanent happy-go-lucky smile on his face and planted his rump next to Riza's feet**.**

"I apologize for that sir..." Riza saluted the alchemist on the floor.

Ed, figuring that he had fallen on the floor too many times today and hadn't got up, waved a tired hand. "Don't worry about it...this happens too often for me to care..."

Riza nodded in understanding.

"The Colonel wants to speak to you sir." she announced.

Ed looked up in surprise. "What for?"

"He says he wants to discuss something rather important with you."

Hawkeye had answered his question a little too ambiguously for Ed's liking. He frowned but stood up to leave. As he hurried out the door, his brother's voice followed him.

"Nii-san! Don't think you can get away without brushing your teeth!"

Ed sighed.

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"I want you to quit looking for the philosopher's stone."

"WHAT?!"

Ed glared at the Colonel who sat calmly in front of him. Their eyes met, one pair golden fury and the other an almost pitying black. Sensing this, Ed growled and clenched a fist. The silence soon became unbearable for the boy and he exploded.

"HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT?! YOU KNOW WHAT GETTING AL'S BODY BACK MEANS TO ME!"

Roy kept silent and stared at the teen in front of him, not saying a word. He had been expecting this reaction. Riza stood at attention by the door with a worried expression on her face.

"ANSWER ME! YOU CAN'T JUST KEEP QUIET! WHAT GOOD REASON DO YOU HAVE TO TELL US TO STOP OUR SEARCH?" Ed fumed.

Roy took a deep breath and frowned seriously. "It's important. You need to stop looking for the stone."

"IS IT THAT THEY'RE MADE OUT OF HUMAN LIVES? I KNOW THAT! I'M JUST TRYING TO FIND OTHER WAYS TO MAKE THE STONE."

"I SAID GIVE IT UP!"

Roy slammed a gloved hand on his desk which shocked Ed into a resentful silence.

"I have my reasons, and not only are they for the good of everybody living in this pathetic world, it's also better for the two of you!"

"Don't try to act like a parent, Mustang!" Ed retaliated. "We can handle things ourselves!"

Roy's face turned to a furious scowl, "No you can't, you're just kids."

Ed scowled back. "You don't know a thing about me or Al!"

Roy's gaze grew fierce. "I don't? I knew you since you were a _little bean so small he wouldn't even been enough food for ONE ant_!"

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?"

Roy's jibe at he boy's height did nothing to improve Ed's temper much and he clenched his metal fist to prevent himself from hitting the Colonel. Ed let his bangs fall over his eyes so Roy couldn't see a frustrated tear slip out of his eye.

"_I hate you_." Ed said quietly with as much meaning and contempt as he could muster. The boy turned without looking at Roy and headed straight for the door. Roy didn't try to stop him. When Ed neared the exit, Riza braced herself for an attack on the wooden door. However the teen didn't slam it as she had thought and instead, quietly closed it with a gentle 'click'. Riza gave in to her concern and rushed to the Colonel's side.

"Sir?"

Roy didn't meet Hawkeye's gaze.

"He's never told me he hated me with so much meaning." Roy spoke softly.

"It's alright sir, he was losing his temper. You know his character." Riza placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"I know his character better than anyone, even his own parents."

Riza bit her bottom lip. "Yes. That. Maybe you should have explained to him Colonel."

"No." Roy covered his eyes and shook his head. "I've only told two people in this world about that."

"Those two being Officer Hughes and myself." Riza nodded sadly.

There was a silence before Riza took charge.

"You want to go after him, don't you?" she smiled.

Roy's mouth curved downwards in an anguished pain.

"I know you care a lot for him, no matter how convincingly you act during the day." Riza continued. She paused before slipping a small notice.

"Remember? Ed likes rivers..."

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A fish wandered up to the surface of the water and fled as a a rock hurtled toward its face.

"Dumb Colonel..." Ed sulked. He lay back against the grassy bank near the river and stared for a bit at the blinding sun above him. The air and warmth made him sleepy and he slowly closed his eyes. As he lost consciousness, Ed took in the smell of fresh strawberries from a nearby patch. The fish from earlier peeked up through the river surface to see what its assailant was doing and found him asleep...

_"Sweet sweet Strawbees..."_

_"Juicy juicy strawberries..."_

_"Tasty tasty strawbees..."_

_"One...Two...Three!"_

_The two boys exchanged lines of the song while trudging down the dirt path that led to a nearby strawberry farm._

_"Aw Ed, it's straw...bare...ees, not strawbees!" Roy laughed. _

_"Straw...bee...ees..." the little boy attempted._

_Roy tugged on Ed's tiny hand, urging him at a faster pace. "You might never get it right buddy. Come on, we have to get going or we won't get there in time."_

_"Carry me!" The boy looked up at Roy Mustang with huge pleading eyes and arms outstretched. How could anyone resist?_

_The strong 19-year-old smiled and easily lifted the tiny child. The boy squirmed in delight and giggled in his own little way. It was a wonderful sound and Roy loved to hear it, that sweet faerie wing-like chime. Ed straddled Roy's hips and Roy placed his hands under Ed's bottom to carry him. He set off at a brisk pace, continuing to sing their song together._

_"Blueberry, Blackberry, Raspberry, Strawberry..."_

_"Bluebee, Blackbee, Raspbee, Strawbee..."_

_"Ed look!" Roy turned so the child could see. _

_"It's the farm!" Ed pointed excitedly._

_Roy let the energetic boy down and the child ran towards the farm at top speed. Roy laughed and said to himself, "Maybe I'm getting old..."_

_Roy trotted down the path until he reached the spot where Ed had disappeared down the hill. He looked around for a second, only seeing an old man and an everlasting field of berries. He walked up to the old man who was shaking slightly._

_"Did you see a small child with gold eyes and hair pass you?" Roy asked, slightly worried that he had lost the boy._

_The old man still shook and Roy realized it was with laughter._

_"Hee hee hee," the old man chuckled. He pointed to his feet._

_Roy, confused, stared down and saw the man's feet was concealed within thick strawberry leaves._

_"Boo!" _

_Roy jumped back as a little boy exploded from the undergrowth and started laughing. Roy began to laugh as well when he saw Ed's mouth stained with berry juice. Roy ruffled the golden hair playfully and Ed grabbed Roy's hand with his own sticky one._

_"Let's go Nii-san!"_

_That term again._

_Roy smiled happily and followed the innocent little boy farther out into the field singing..._

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_"Sweet sweet Strawbees..."_

_"Juicy juicy strawberries..."_

_"Tasty tasty strawbees..."_

_"One...Two...Three!"_

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**Let's explain...**

**I was stuck on the small section where I put in the chibi-Ed and Roy memories and was sitting at the computer with intense writer's block. (Not a happy thing). I looked down at my shirt and noticed it was strawberry print and I yelled:**

**THAT'S IT! STRAWBERRIES!**

**I must have gotten some funny looks from my family...but I was so into my story that I didn't notice if they did. Thus, the strawberry part.**

**Now that one strawberry song Roy and Ed sing is stuck in my head...wheeeeee.**

**IF YOU LIKED THIS REVIEW PLEASE, REVIEWS MAKE ME HAPPY!**

**CHAPTER TWO COMING SOON. I'm going camping Sunday, July 13th until Tuesday July 15th so until then, see ya.**

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	3. Chapter 2

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_Chapter Two_

_-Evee-_

_I scoop up and scatter the fragments of sand at my feet _

_and I can't even recover the smile that used to connect the two of us_

_-Returnable Memories_

_19-year-old Maes Hughes waved a nonchalant hand at his best friend, his other hand clutching that of a shy girls'. "Where you off to Roy?" The black-haired young man gently tugged his own companion into view allowing Hughes to bend down and look the boy straight in his gold-colored eyes. The child blushed and hid quickly behind Roy's pant leg, glaring at the stranger in front of him. "Awww, he's cute Roy. Where'd you steal him from?" His best friend gave him an indignant look but the boy giggled and nodded for he liked the queer but interesting stranger._

_"Rooooy, can we go now?" Edward whined._

_"Off to see the fair?" Hughes cut in before Roy could reply, "Make sure you pester Roy to buy you some cotton candy."_

_Roy shot him another menacing look uttering under his breath, "Some friend you are..." He gave a glance at the girl beside Hughes and smirked. "Are you taking your cousin to the fair?"_

_Hughes's head whipped from Ed to Roy. "What?! She's not my cousin, she's my girlfriend!"_

_Roy laughed loudly and grabbed Ed's tiny hand. The little boy took the lead at this gesture, running off towards the fair and pulling Roy along with him. As the pair rounded the corner they were greeted by a cheery scene. People mulled about in groups or pairs, enjoying the fair to the fullest. Everywhere Roy looked stood countless stalls selling all kinds of treats and merchandise. Game stalls were set up by creative merchants and even now, a teenage girl nearby attempted to catch a fish with a small circlet net but failed. Unperturbed, she laughed along with her friends and accepted her consolation prize with an embarrassed grin._

_"Want to try that Ed?" Roy asked. Edward stared at the fish, nodding slowly. Roy handed the men a few cenz and received a small circular net in return. He handed the thing to the boy smiling on the inside._

_The man handling the stand looked up at Roy in surprise, "Sir, is your little brother playing this game?" Roy nodded, slightly confused by the man's question. _

_"I recommend this game for older participants," continued the merchant, "This is a difficult game, even for older company." _

_Roy shook his head and smiled. "Let him try."_

_"Alright..." The man gave Roy a skeptical look. Roy shrugged and knelt down on his knees besides Ed. _

_"Are you ready?" he asked the boy. Ed's golden eyes were traveling back and forth watching the fish. Roy knew that inside his head, the boy was determining his net angle. Both of them knew from past experience, that most people go for what seems like the smallest and lightest fish, however in this game of skill, it was all about the net handling._

_"There." Roy spoke, startling the stall-handler._

_The blonde's hand shot out and brought it back, triumphant, three thrashing fish on the ground beside him. Roy grinned up at the stunned shopkeeper and laughed. Ed giggled while scooping up the aqua-inhabitant creatures and showing them proudly to the manager, beaming from the astonished praises of the gathering crowd. The stall-handler began to laugh uproariously and took the fish to slip into a bag._

_"Nice job kid, those cat-like reflexes are amazing!" a nearby teenager congratulated Ed, "Those skills could really get you a spot in the military one day."_

_Edward remained silent at this and he and Roy exchanged looks before Ed turned his eyes away to receive his three fish and 2000 cenz in prize money. Ed smiled down at the creatures, watching them swim around in the enclosed space._

_"What are you going to do with those?" Roy asked Ed as they strolled away from the stand to explore the rest of the festival. Ed just smiled knowingly and shook his head. It was his secret. Roy didn't pressure the young boy any further. The little kid was a genius and both of them knew it so if Ed had an idea, Roy could trust him to think of something unique._

_"Excuse me, um...could I?" A soft quiet voice hailed Roy and Ed ground his heels into the ground to halt his jog. Roy recognized the girl on the spot. She had been the one who played the fishing game earlier on before Ed had struck up that win. She fidgeted on the spot extending her hand out towards Ed, hesitant in her movement. Ed stared up at her with his large eyes, not at all shy around this person. Roy felt it too, a sort of warmness emitting from her entirety and he nodded to her. The girl, reassured, knelt down and stroked Ed's head. "Wow, you're so amazing. Where'd you learn that trick?" Ed giggled and pointed upwards toward Roy and Roy felt himself blush. The girl had the cutest brown eyes which were wide with youthful innocence. She kept her blond hair down, right past her shoulders. The girl seemed to be about Roy's age, maybe younger? "Is he you little brother?" the girl asked casually, referring to Ed._

_Roy shook his head. "Naw, I wish. I asked his parents if I could take him to the festival today. I normally just watch this little guy when his mom and dad are out."_

_"He's really huggable isn't he?" the girl commented, watching Ed wiggle under her touch in delight. After a while of watching this, Roy noticed that the girl was alone._

_"Um, didn't you come with a group of friends? You should get back to them..." Roy suggested._

_The girl's eyes dulled a little and she cleared her throat. "Well, those are my friend's friends. They aren't really my own, you know?"_

_"So you're here all by yourself?" As soon as Roy said this, he bit his lip. How could he be so blunt? The girl didn't seem to mind. Either that or she hadn't noticed._

_"My dad brought me here. He came with some of his co-workers." she told him._

_"What does he do?" Roy asked, intrigued. Ed was still enjoying the petting he was receiving from the girl's gentle hands and squealed slightly. The girl smiled brightly at Roy's question._

_"He's a state alchemist!" she declared proudly._

_"State alchemist?!" Roy was shocked. Her dad was part of the military?_

_The girl allowed Ed to run his hands through her hair who was marveling at the softness. "To be more precise, he's a fire alchemist. I don't really understand how he does it, but I've seen him control flames."_

_Roy felt his heart skip a beat. What would it be like to hold such power in his hands? Imagine. To control flames. There were so many things he could do if he learned how to manipulate an element. Roy had always loved fire for it always gave him a feeling of elation and warmth. A feeling that he could change the world. It was a ridiculous notion, but Roy imagined the flames inside his body, empowering him in so many different ways. That was his goal after all wasn't it? To change the world. Make a significant mark with his very own hands. Roy felt excited by the girl's words. Roy stared at the girl for a while before spontaneously coming out with a request. "Hey...If you're free, do you want to watch the fireworks with us later?" The girl shook her head and smiled. Roy felt a small bit of disappointment._

_"I can do better..." the girl replied softly, "How would you like to watch the fireworks with me from the launching base?"_

_Roy's jaw dropped and Ed, who had been listening in, glanced up at Roy in excitement. "What? You can really do that?" Roy asked in disbelief._

_"Didn't I just tell you my father is a fire alchemist?" the girl shrugged. "He's managing the firework show and he asked me to help. I'm sure he won't mind two special spectators." Roy was about to thank her before she suddenly turned to leave. "Oops, sorry. My friend has found me. I'll see you later tonight at the launch base up the hill!" The girl's friend was waving at her, trying to get her attention and she hailed her friend and began to jog towards the gaggle of teens that milled around in a noisy bundle. The girl gave one last wave of goodbye to Roy and Ed._

_Ed stepped forward slightly before calling out in his special childish voice, "What's your name?_

_The girl laughed lightly and called back. _

_"I'm Riza. Riza Hawkeye!"_

_"Bye 'Iza!" Ed yelled, accidentally messing up her name. Roy smiled and waved as well keeping the name in his mind. Riza Hawkeye. Roy watched Riza vanish into the crowd of people and Ed began to wander off so Roy promptly turned and followed him._

_Roy caught up with the toddler in no time and placed a firm hand on the boy's shoulder. "What do you feel like doing now, Ed-chan?" _

_The blond pointed promptly to the food stalls._

_..._

_'That boy's an empty hole...' Roy thought to himself as he watched Edward inhale his food at an incredible rate for such a small vessel. Unnoticed by the blond, a takoyaki ball disappeared from the box he was eating from and found its way to Roy's mouth. As he chewed, Roy watched the child next to him, remembering the night the blond had called him his brother. It seemed that the boy had already forgotten though, and had gone back to calling him Roy-san. As Roy watched the boy, he saw the tiny body shudder with cold and the 19-year-old checked the sky. The sun had already begun to set laying out the sky with watercolors, a single bright orb in the middle of the painting. "You cold Edward?" Roy asked the tiny form next to him. __Ed nodded, smiling up at his gaurdian. Roy slipped off his outher coat and tucked it neatly around the boy. Edward looked comically small compared to the over-sized jacket but he seemed warm enough. Ed gave out another one of his lovely laughs and Roy shuddered with delight and cold. The air was cooling rapidly around them and other festival attendees had also broken out their own warmer garments. Roy noticed two golden eyes staring at him and he turned hugging Edward close to his body. The boy laughed before slipping slightly into the coat and vanishing. Roy opened the coat in panic as he noticed the garment go limp and he turned around frantically to see the blond being rapidly lost among the mass of people. "Edward!" Roy shouted out, a flash of cold panic running through him. Roy's internal alarm began to ring and he stood up. "Edward!" Roy grabbed his coat and began to pursue the child. Roy turned the corner to see Ed's golden hair near the drink machines. "ED!" Just as Roy fought his way past a mob of teens, a boy and something warm was thrust into his hands and he gasped in surprise. _

_"I bought it. For you Roy-Nii-san." Edward's precocious voice hammered the stop button on Roy's alarm. He looked down into his hands and was astonished to see a can of hot tea in his hands._

_Roy petted Ed's hair. "Where did you get the money?" Roy asked. _

_"Mom...she tol' me if I put it into a big blue machine and press the right button, I'd get something special." came the answer._

_Roy laughed. He had to give the boy's mom credit. She knew how to give little kids instructions. "Why don't you drink it?" Roy said, holding the drink forward. The little boy shook his head._

_"For you Nii-san." _

_Roy felt a shiver of joy at the name and he knew that the Ed would not give in. "We'll share it then?" Roy proposed to Ed and the child nodded earnestly. Roy felt warm even without the drink now but he cracked the can open anyway. Steam rose quickly into the air and Ed giggled in delight. Roy offered the first sip to Edward but he refused, his golden bangs swishing side to side and he shook his head so Roy took a small drink before handing the hot cocoa to the Ed. As the boy lifted the can to his mouth, Roy picked the boy up in his arms, supporting Edward's bottom. He checked the time on another nearby clock. 9:00. Time for the firework show. _

_Grinning, Roy turned and made his way up the hill behind him where far below, countless people had already claimed their spots. He felt elated and warm and congratulated himself on a successful day. His mind wandered back to the girl who had invited them to the fireworks area and smiled. He looked up to the black sky and found just one star up above. Roy took a deep breath and wished internally that he and his precious Edward could stay together forever. Roy looked to the future and imagined a 15 year old teen coming to him with his problems and worries. He imagined himself being ready to allow the boy to cry in his arms. He imagined a hopeful future with the tiny bundle in his arms and he smiled. __But then again, equivalent exchange works its magic,_

_and it isn't always a happy ending._

**Whew. A big Parental Roy Ed chapter this time. Sorry for the delay, school started recently and I haven't had much time to write. So as a thank you gift for being so wonderful and patient, here's a preview of next chapter:**

Ed's body twitched and he jumped up from the grassy bank in panic. Sweat ran down his back, the kind that chilled your blood. All the memories came back to him. Roy. Envy. Riza. Everything long forgotten and remembered. Ed dropped to his knees on the bank-side and dropped his head. Everything everything. His head felt like it had when he had gone through the gate when he was younger. All the memories just flooded into his brain, making it pound.

Roy.

**Oooo that just makes it worse doesn't it? Sorry... Haha, I'll try to type up the next chapter fast as I physically can. **

**I've recently realized that I have a bad habit. When I type a soft lovely scene, my fingers move smoothly and quietly and I make a soothed expression. When I write Ed shouting at Roy, I have this growling face at the computer. When I type fast-paced action-packed scenes, my finger move a mile a minute and I practically break my keyboard. this is why I can't type my stories in school because I might accidentally break the keys...**

**anyway, see you all next chapter and don't forget to review!!**


	4. Christmas Special

**Christmas Special; Parental Roy Ed**

**-She-wolf Vixen/aka EveeElric-**

**"Blizzard"**

**!Merry Christmas!**

**A Christmas fic for all you amazing fans out there! I love you all, thanks sooo much!**

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"Dammit."

Ed cursed as another gust of icy wind almost blew the alchemist off his feet. The teen stumbled back, propelled by the force of the wind pulling at his red cloak and fell against a snowy bank. The snow slipped down Ed's back and made its way into his shirt. "Nggyahhh! Damn winter!" Furious, Ed stepped back up and placed both of his gloved hands over his ears, which were red and frost bitten. Why hadn't he listened to his brother and worn a hat?

Just a moment ago, the young alchemist had been in Central to deliver a small report to his commanding officer. When he said commanding officer he meant it in a sarcastic way for that man was none other than Colonel Roy Mustang. It was starting to snow heavily by the time Edward arrived at Central in the first place and Ed was forced to slip across the icy ground towards Central Command just to hand in a few pages of paper. Not only that but the idiot Colonel wasn't even at Central when Ed got there. He had already left for home due to the bad weather according to Havoc, who had stayed behind to work overtime on his own work.

Ed had groaned and rolled his eyes. The Colonel was just too lazy to work and used the weather as an excuse to go home early. Havoc had offered Ed a ride to the Colonel's place, eager to get away from the mounds of paperwork however Havoc's car wouldn't start. Ed had spent forty-five minutes tromping around Central looking for someone who could drive him to the Colonel's house. When he had come back, furious and irritated, Havoc had suggested turning the report in the next day but Ed frowned and shook his head. He and Al had important clues on the stone and were hoping to leave first thing tomorrow. Ed's last resort was to tuck his report in a manilla folder, put this under his shirt, and proceed to walk through the storm-turned-blizzard to Roy's home.

Ed sighed and leaned back against the snowy mound he had fallen on. The snow drove into his face painfully and Ed squinted to keep the ice hard flakes out of his eyes. The sun had gone down and one by one, nearby lamp posts flickered on, illuminating the snow swirling in its presence. Ed watched his breath steam out into the air periodically before sitting up as a car came inching up. The blond jumped up and raced towards the oncoming car. Brushing himself off, Ed waved his arms frantically in the air. If he was lucky, he could get a ride with this driver to the Colonel's home. It could be a kidnapper but Ed didn't care. It was worth the risk. The car ambled up and halted next to Ed and Ed peeked through the glass before letting his jaw drop. It was Roy. Roy looked equally as astonished but quickly regained the smirk of his. The glass window separating the two state alchemists rolled down.

"Well, well, if it isn't FullMetal. What are you trying to do, catch a cold?"

Ed frowned. "Don't be funny. I was walking to your house because I had to turn in your stupid report."

Roy's smirk faded a little. "You walked all the way from Central to here?" He opened the car door to see Ed clearer and Ed was glad to be hit by a wave of warm air from the vehicle.

"Well...yeah." Ed said this as if he was out for an afternoon stroll instead of a mid-blizzard expedition. Ed stared in bewilderment at Roy's expression. "Are...are you worried about me...Agh!" Ed let out a little yell as Roy grabbed him by the sleeve and dragged him into the car. Reaching across him, Roy pulled the car door shut and began to drive again.

"Try not to melt too much on the seats," Roy put in. Ed allowed himself a small smile and nodded. He pulled the folder from inside his shirt, kept dry by the layers of fabric. Ed placed this folder on the dashboard where Roy could see it out of the corner of his eye.

"Now that you have my report, could you head back to Central? I need to find me and Al an inn to stay at tonight."

Roy nodded but didn't say anything.

"Hey, Colonel, are you still there?" Ed waved a hand in front of Roy's face.

Roy pushed Ed's hand away. "Do you know what day it is?"

Ed stared at Roy curiously, "Wednesday?" Roy smirked and shook his head. As he rounded the corner, Ed noticed that they weren't anywhere near Central. "Colonel! Where are you going?"

Roy grinned. "I'm taking you home of course!"

"What?!" That was when Ed realized that they had pulled up next to a rather large house. "...but I don't have a house."Roy turned off the car and got out. He tromped over to Ed's door, opened it, and promptly pulled Ed out again by the sleeve, leaving the folder with the papers in it on the dashboard. "H-hey!" Ed stammered. "The report..."

"Forget about it..." Roy smirked. Stunned, Ed allowed Roy to drag him towards the house and unlock the door. Only when Roy had pulled him inside and closed the door that Ed realized. "What? Why are you bringing you to your house Mustang?!"

"Could you come with me? I have something for you..." Roy beckoned. Ed shrugged and followed Roy around the corner, past a flight of stairs, and into a room where Roy turned the lights on. It was a warm room, a large pine tree standing against the wall. There were lights, round ornaments and tinsel on the tree. Roy glanced over at the empty fireplace and maybe just to show off, flicked his fingers and lit the fire with a well-aimed flame. Roy stepped neatly over to the nearby kitchen and messed around for a while before returning with two cups of liquid. He handed one to Ed who looked down and smelled hot chocolate. Ed assumed the other cup that Roy was drinking out of was coffee. Looking around, Ed realized the he room had some other furniture including a couch, rug, table and chair, all warm colors.

Roy flopped down on the couch and stretched, pulling his shoes off. "Ah! It's nice to be home."

Ed stood nearby, shifting uncomfortably. What was the Colonel doing bringing him to his house?

"Today..." Roy spoke. "Today...is Christmas Eve, dear Edward."

"Christmas Eve?!" Ed hit his head. "Crap! I totally forgot! I need to get back to Al! Mustang, can I borrow your phone? I need to tell Al where I am. "

"Actually, Alphonse already knows where you are Edward, I told him." Roy said, and got up to bend under the tree.

"What?"

Roy came back out from under the tree with a package in his hand. "I told him, you're spending the night with me. Hawkeye should be over in about an hour with him too."

"What?! ...and did you just call me Edward? What's the meaning of this, you're creeping me out!" Ed backed away slightly.

Roy sighed. "I'm not trying to kill you FullMetal, sit down..." Ed blinked, then nodded. He sat down next to Roy on the reddish-orange couch and gasped as Roy tossed the package into his lap. "Go on, open it Ed..."

Ed carefully unwrapped the package, and then felt a twinge of shock and excitement. "It's...a book! Several books...wait! It's the whole collection of 'History of World Alchemy'! All 15 of them"

Roy laughed, "So it's a good gift I assume? I really hope that you'll keep it because it took me a couple months to hunt them all down!"

"You been looking for all of these books for the past few months...just to give them to me?!" Ed couldn't hide his awe.

"That's why I was able to pick you up on your way to my house." Roy grinned weakly, " I had to detour to a shady bookstore to get the last one, but I'm glad I made it in time."

"T-thanks a lot!" Ed felt bad looking at the extravagant gift that Roy had given him. "I don't think I can accept it though...I don't have anything for you..." Ed made a movement to return the books.

Roy pushed the books back toward Ed. "Actually, yes you do."

"Really? What can I give y-" Mid sentence, Ed found himself quieted as Roy pulled Ed close to him and into his arms in a hug. After a second, Ed brought his arms up and wrapped them around Roy's waist.

"It's OK to cry...I won't blackmail you..." Roy's hand squeezed Ed's shoulder. With that, and before he knew it, Ed's vision began to blur with tears. The warm water ran down his cheeks silently and he buried his face into Roy's chest. Ed was appalled. It had been years since anyone besides Winry and Al had given him a hug. He couldn't even remember the feel of his mother or father's arms. He had almost forgotten what it was like to be held by strong firm hands. He had almost forgotten what is was like to depend on another person's strength. He had almost forgotten what it was like to have a parent.

Roy held the boy close and gently wiped the tears from Ed's cheek with his shirt while patting the boy's blond head. "This is what you want for a gift?" Ed murmured through tears.

"Trust." Roy said simply. "That's all I ever wanted from you...trust and the faith in me to let go and cry to me. You're always acting tough and putting on a face but no one can be that strong. All I want is for you to trust me. From the first time I saw you, sitting in that bed with a stump for your arm and leg, bleeding profusely without a single real parent to hug you and tell you it's alright, I've watched over you. You're very precious to me, like my own son even though I've never had one...but if I did, I would want him to be exactly like you..."

Ed began to cry again but smiled through the tears. The boy nodded. "You know..." Ed spoke quietly, pulling himself upright and drying his tears. "It's Christmas Eve and I've done nothing but cry and complain. How about some fun?"

...

"Do you really think that the Colonel and my brother will be alright cooped up together Lieutenant?" Al asked from the back seat of Riza's car.

Riza smiled. "They'll be perfectly fine...maybe even better than that!" Armor can't smile but if it could, that's exactly what Alphonse did. "We're here!" Riza announced, and pulled up on the driveway of Roy's house. They got out and realized that the blizzard had let up and a fine sheet of snow lay on the ground. Riza and Al stood there, admiring the snow when at the exact same time, two snowballs flew from the bushes and splattered against both Riza's face and Al's armor head.

"HAHAHAHA, TAKE THAT AL!"

"SORRY 'BOUT THAT HAWKEYE!! HAHAHA IT WAS EDWARD'S IDEA!!!"

"BROTHEEEER!!!!!"

"COLONEL!!!! EDWARD!!!! YOU TWO GET BACK HERE RIGHT NOW!!!"

* * *

**Hoped you liked it everyone. It was a quick one! ^^ Merry Christmas all!!**

* * *

**Christmas Special; Side Story **

**"White Flower"**

**!Merry Christmas!**

Edward made his way up to the hill side, where tombstones lay scattered about, a layer of snow on their tops, making them glisten in the early sunlight. Ed didn't even have to look for the grave he was visiting, the path was so familiar he could close his eyes and his feet would take him there. Ed looked up as a cloud passed over the sun, momentarily plunging the world into darkness. Ed's mind wandered...

_"Edwaaaard!" Hughed laughed, "Want to see a picture of Elysia? She's wearing the Christmas dress that I bought her! Isn't she adorable?"_

_Ed rolled his eyes and almost dropped the middle section of a snowman. He paused to regain his grip and continued to lift an enormous ball of snow onto another, Elysia jumping up and down beside him and marveling at his strength. Ed and Al were spending the Christmas season with Maes Hughes. Rather, they were abducted by the hyperactive father and brought home to his astonished wife, Gracia, for dinner. Ed wasn't complaining about the dinner part of the evening, but Hughes was often pulling out pictures at the most inconvienient times. With a grunt, Ed finally lifted the ball up and stood back to examine his work._

_"Wooow Edwhard! You amazing!" Elysia said in her broken and some-what altered voice. She was young but quite skilled in her language abilities. Ed figured it was due to the talkative father she had._

_Patting Elysia's head Ed called for his brother. "Alllll? Where's the head?"_

_"Got it!" Al replied and came stumbling into view with a snowman head and the armor alchemized it to the top. "Whooah! That's huge!" The snowman was indeed huge, nearly towering over Hughes's house. It was remarkable feat and with the help of the two boy alchemists, Elysia was lifted up by a giant pillar of snow to place the features on the head._

_"Hey." Hughes elbowed Ed. "Could I have a moment with you?"_

_Ed nodded and after telling his brother where he was going, followed Hughes to the back of the yard. "So, what is it?" Ed asked. __Hughes bent down, and brushed aside some trees and disappeared behind the fence. "Hey, wait!" Ed called and quickly followed the older man. He was surprised at what he saw. Behind Hughes's home was a huge field, completely filled with snow. Hughes was standing a little bit ahead and Edward ran up next to him. Just as he was about to pass him, Hughes's arm shot out and grabbed Ed._

_"Hold on a second Edward."_

_"What?" Ed stepped back and gave Hughes a curious glance. __The older man stooped down and lightly brushed off some snow at his feet and Ed was surprised again. "A flower! It's pure white too, I didn't even see them!"_

_Hughes nodded. "These are Amestrian Snowflowers, they only bloom on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. They're really quite special..." With this statement, Hughes pulled off his jacket and swept it across the snow in front of him and flapped it. Ed watched in amazement as suddenly, an entire field of flowers bloomed in front of him. It was a beautiful sight and each of the flowers shined like their petals were diamonds. _

_"They're so pretty!" Ed gasped in delight._

_Hughes nodded and plucked one deftly. "I thought you might like to put one on your mother's grave? These flowers bloom only on these two days but they last quite a while...until the snow melts at least."_

_"Can I really?" Ed grinned. "I'd love to!" __Hughes handed the delicate flower to Ed. It was light, so light. Like a feather. __"Thanks Hughes, I really appreciate it! I'm glad you were thinking of my mother for me!"_

_Hughes smirked. "You can always come here for these flowers on Christmas...on one condition..."_

_"What's that?" Ed smiled._

_"That you never, ever, tell anyone else, alright?"_

_"Promise..."_

Ed smiled as the sun blinded him momentarily as it came out from behind the cloud. Without stopping anymore, Ed turned and made his way up to the top of the hill. When he got there, he walked up to a grave and placed a single snow-white flower on it, light as a feather. He stood there a moment when suddenly, another hand placed another flower on the grave. Ed turned.

"Mustang!"

Roy smiled down at the grave. "It looks like Hughes told someone else about that special field even though he told me not to tell anyone else."

"He showed you too?" Ed's jaw dropped.

Roy smiled and placed a hand over his eyes as a single pure tear escaped. "It's starting to rain...We'll never forget you, and never break our promise to you" Ed turned away and the two alchemist stared at the grave where now two Amestrian Snowflowers lay over the words...

"In Remembrance of Brigadier General Hughes"

* * *

**Kind of sad. In remembrance of Maes Hughes...**

**Merry Christmas everyone...**


	5. Chapter 4

I apologize for the horrible update. It's been literally forever huh?

In truth, I lost motivation for a while until foreverforgotten sent me a lovely PM and I got some more reviews, really boosting my energy! Thanks you guys, it really helps!

* * *

Chapter Two

-Evee-

Sorrow is eating away at my heart  
But my right hand can't even feel the pain  
I can't forget your warmth that I lost that day

-Returnable Memories

* * *

A gunshot...and a few more bodies fell, limp and lifeless. Edward watched on in horror as countless Ishbalans fell prostrate and bloody before his eyes.

Then they were gone.

A small Ishbalan child.

A teddy bear.

Ed's alarm system went off as the barrel of a gun glinted in the absence of light. He reached out and shouted a warning to the small child who tottered away towards the doll but found he had no voice. No body. He couldn't move, his body a mere mass of glue, his feet moving as if he were dragging his way through molasses. Ed pushed forward desperately but there was a deafening bang followed by the sound of human flesh falling to the ground. Ed cried out again without a sound and then there was earsplitting laughter and unimaginable pain. Ed's automail arm raged like fire and he screamed. Looking down, he screamed again as he realized that what he saw was not a prosthetic limb made of metal, but twisted, warped human flesh. Light glinted off steel and Ed felt pain. Blades plunged deep into his skin and Ed yelled in agony, twisting about, trying to escape what seemed to be a undefinable room. The pain came again. Again, again. Again. Again. Again. Again...

It was fully night when Edward awoke, pitch-black.

Ed's body twitched and he jumped up from the grassy bank in panic. Sweat ran down his back, the kind that chilled your blood. All the memories came back to him. Roy. Envy. Riza. Everything long forgotten and remembered. Ed dropped to his knees on the bank-side and hung his head painfully. His knees dug into the mud with a horrible squelching sound but he barely noticed, his body quivering with numbness. Everything was numbing. His head was fit to bursting, the feeling was almost terrifyingly similar. Similar to the time he had passed through the gate. All the memories just flooded into his brain, making it pound.

Roy.

Ed's head ceased pounding and he paused, calm for a moment, at the river before his stomach heaved. Sick splattered into the river and was immediately washed away. Ed's abdomen contracted until there wasn't anything left in his stomach to purge. Relieved of the sick feeling, Ed lay on the edge of the river, wet mud seeping into his clothes but Ed couldn't care. His hair had fallen loose in his tossing and turning and draped into the river, bobbing up and down in the current. His mind was filled with memories and as the memories began to slow in their barrage, Ed's head began to hurt less. Slowly, Ed's mind began sorting out the images and sounds. Closing his eyes, he leaned back and marveled at the new thoughts. Picking one, he exploited the scrap of the past.

_"Where should we go today?"_

_Ed blinked. He was looking at a smaller version of himself along with a familiar face. Recognizing the voice which had just spoken to him, he looked beyond mini-him to see none other than Colonel Roy Mustang. Except...he wasn't a Colonel. Roy also looked much younger. He looked about twenty and had this uncharacteristic look on his face, one much like one Riza Hawkeye often made when she was talking to him. Ed heard his childish voice saying, "Appurus!"_

_Appurus? What the heck was that?_

_"Haha, why is it always_ _food?" Creepy-Roy laughed. "and remember, it's apples, not appurus!"_

_Apples huh..._

_Ed's reminiscent mind suddenly turned into panic as Roy bent down close to mini-Ed. Too close. Ed wanted the mini version of himself to run but then mini-Edward was lifted up into Roy's arms._

_This is really weird._

Ed pulled himself out of the memory and frowned. That was an odd memory. How did he know Roy as a small child? It was puzzling in a very uncomfortable way. He felt slightly invaded even though he had nothing to do physically with the memory. He decided to go back to the new memories for the answer and he found one.

_"Good Morning, !"_

_Ed gasped excitedly. There his mother was, standing healthy and alive. He reached out but his outstretched hand passed right through her and Ed painfully reminded himself that this was only a memory. Standing back, he was shocked again. _

_"I'm really grateful that you take care of Ed, it really puts a lot of ease on my mind! He's such a handful." Tricia Elric smiled at a young-looking Roy Mustang._

_"I'm the one who's grateful." Roy grinned back. "I mean, I know I'm only seventeen, but I love him like a son."_

_"Seventeen huh?" Ed thought to himself in surprise. "Not twenty..."_

_Tricia's expression was one of pure joy. "It would be wonderful if you, I don't know, call me crazy, but grow up as his real father..." __Edward frowned and noticed how subtely his mother shyed away from pointing out that his real father was gone. Tricia contined, "If you could be someone...s__omeone who he could talk to his life problems about when he becomes an adolescent. I'm sure how you remember how that was quite clearly, there's only so much you can tell your parents, right? Even with me, my boys keep secrets. Just the other day, I found a wooden box hidden in my flowerbed and what was inside? None other than a kitten! Edward and Alphonse have been hiding that kitten from me for what looks like to be over a month!"_

_Roy nodded and laughed. "Sounds like them. However, by the time Ed turns fifteen, I'll be in my thirties. I wonder if I'll be too old and mature by then to see it from his point of view... I wouldn't mind being his father if it meant having a son who's so energetic and headstrong coupled with a woman as pretty as you for a wife" _

_Ed looked on disgustedly. It was annoying enough to see Roy flirting with women in reality, and is was perturbing to see the same guy conversing in such a openly seductive way with his mom._

_"Oni-chan!" __Ed's jaw dropped as a familiar face hurtled around the corner and jumped into Roy's arms. "Oni-chan!"_

_"Edward! You look handsome today!" Roy laughed._

_The real Edward was mentally kicking himself, for the smaller memory-Ed was wearing one of Roy's favorite shirts. Specifically the one Roy wore when he was going out on a date in the evening. Ed recognized it on the spot._

With a conscious effort, Ed pulled himself out of the memory. Sighing, he lay against the bank. He felt abnormally hot and the inside of his head was quietly throbbing. Before he could search through anymore memories for information, Edward fell asleep again.

* * *

Sound came in the form of a flat manilla folder and Riza Hawkeye looked up in annoyance.

"Havoc, could you be at least a bit more subtle?"

The military soldier saluted and grinned. "Sorry about that Lieutenant. It's something I do to bug the Colonel. It seems to work on the general public though, not just him."

Riza groaned and put her hand to her face. It had been an impulsive move when she told Roy that she'd fill in for him for the day and take care of the paperwork. She was starting to regret it along with developing a headache.

Havoc was on his way out when he turned a head to ask "Where's the Colonel gone?" Hawkeye smiled and took a deep breath. If it weren't for _that _reason, Riza wouldn't have allowed herself to let Mustang have a day off from work.

In fact, at the very moment, Roy Mustang himself was frantically driving along the edge of the road, located close to a nearby river. He scanned the bank-side, his eyes searching for the hint of golden hair.

"Dammit FullMetal, where are you?"

* * *

Ed had only been walking for a short amount of time before he realized he was awake. Stubbing his toe on a rock, he had fallen onto the ground only to find that it hurt. From there on, the teenager did what he thought was best- meaning he allowed himself to mindlessly wander along the riverbank, going where his feet took him. He paid no attention to his surroundings, only walking for the sake of giving his mind a purpose. Before long, he found himself once again, completely lost and he gave a shiver because it was getting cold. He didn't know where he was or what he was supposed to be doing. Honestly, he just wanted to curl up and close his eyes again but years of hard experiance had taught him to bear what was at hand and keep moving.

He didn't even notice when a man's grip enclosed his own and pulled him to a stop. Ed looked up to see the soft black light of Roy Mustang's eyes. Whispering, Ed's lips moved in a silent "Who are you?"

Roy's eyes hardened. Had Ed forgotten about him?

Ed fell to his knees again, clinging to Roy's military uniform. "Who are you?" Ed whispered, barely heard above the rushing water. "Mustang...who are you?"

Roy stared down at the boy he had come to love. His lips moved just as slightly.

"Your Nii-san."

* * *

**// Chapter 4**


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